Thursday, August 8, 2013

Earliest MLB Debuts

Quick question: Which active MLB player had the earliest debut game? Mariano Rivera? Derek Jeter? Jason Giambi?  They're close, but the player who beats them out by a matter of weeks is LaTroy Hawkins, presently of the Mets and formerly of the Angels, Brewers, Astros, Yankees, Rockies, Orioles, Giants, Cubs, and Twins.  He made his MLB debut on April 29, 1995, a mere 9 days before the runner-up, Mariano Rivera.

Now, 1995 seems like it wasn't all that long ago, especially when considering that last year's leader, Jamie Moyer, first started playing in the majors in 1986.  So, I decided to take a look at, historically, who among active layers in each season had the earliest debuts.  As my discoveries showed, it is in fact unusual to have no active players from 20 years ago or earlier - in fact, unless someone like Jamie Moyer or Omar Vizquel makes another appearance before the end of this year, it will be the first time since 1969 that the longest-active player debuted 18 years prior.  The leader in that season? Willie Mays, who debuted in 1951.

So, I have included the list, showing which player in each season had the earliest debut, going back to 1894. Note that I am not counting the National Association (1871-1875) as a major league, so players such as Jim O'Rourke and Cap Anson are listed here as having their MLB debuts in 1876, rather than basing it on their first year in the NA.

Year Player Debut Year
2013 LaTroy Hawkins 1995
2012 Jamie Moyer 1986
2011 Omar Vizquel 1989
2010 Jamie Moyer 1986
2009 Jamie Moyer 1986
2008 Jamie Moyer 1986
2007 Julio Franco 1982
2006 Julio Franco 1982
2005 Julio Franco 1982
2004 Julio Franco 1982
2003 Jesse Orosco 1979
2002 Mike Morgan 1978
2001 Mike Morgan 1978
2000 Mike Morgan 1978
1999 Mike Morgan 1978
1998 Dennis Eckersley 1975
1997 Dennis Eckersley 1975
1996 Dennis Eckersley 1975
1995 Dave Winfield 1973
1994 Charlie Hough 1970
1993 Nolan Ryan 1966
1992 Nolan Ryan 1966
1991 Nolan Ryan 1966
1990 Nolan Ryan 1966
1989 Tommy John 1963
1988 Tommy John 1963
1987 Tommy John 1963
1986 Pete Rose 1963
1985 Pete Rose 1963
1984 Pete Rose 1963
1983 Jim Kaat 1959
1982 Jim Kaat 1959
1981 Jim Kaat 1959
1980 Minnie Minoso 1949
1979 Willie McCovey 1959
1978 Ron Fairly 1958
1977 Brooks Robinson 1955
1976 Minnie Minoso 1949
1975 Hank Aaron 1954
1974 Hank Aaron 1954
1973 Willie Mays 1951
1972 Willie Mays 1951
1971 Willie Mays 1951
1970 Willie Mays 1951
1969 Willie Mays 1951
1968 Mickey Mantle 1951
1967 Curt Simmons 1947
1966 Joe Nuxhall 1944
1965 Warren Spahn 1942
1964 Warren Spahn 1942
1963 Early Wynn 1939
1962 Early Wynn 1939
1961 Early Wynn 1939
1960 Ted Williams 1939
1959 Ted Williams 1939
1958 Ted Williams 1939
1957 Enos Slaughter 1938
1956 Bob Feller 1936
1955 Phil Cavarretta 1934
1954 Phil Cavarretta 1934
1953 Phil Cavarretta 1934
1952 Bobo Newsom 1929
1951 Dutch Leonard 1933
1950 Dutch Leonard 1933
1949 Luke Appling 1930
1948 Earl Caldwell 1928
1947 Red Ruffing 1924
1946 Ted Lyons 1923
1945 Paul Schreiber 1922
1944 Johnny Cooney 1921
1943 Johnny Cooney 1921
1942 Johnny Cooney 1921
1941 Johnny Cooney 1921
1940 Johnny Cooney 1921
1939 Jimmie Dykes 1918
1938 Jimmie Dykes 1918
1937 Rogers Hornsby 1915
1936 Rogers Hornsby 1915
1935 Rabbit Maranville 1912
1934 Charley O'Leary 1904
1933 Nick Altrock 1898
1932 Jack Quinn 1909
1931 Nick Altrock 1898
1930 Eddie Collins 1906
1929 Nick Altrock 1898
1928 Ty Cobb 1905
1927 Ty Cobb 1905
1926 Ty Cobb 1905
1925 Chief Bender 1903
1924 Nick Altrock 1898
1923 Fred Carisch 1903
1922 Johnny Evers 1902
1921 Kaiser Wilhelm 1903
1920 George McBride 1901
1919 Nick Altrock 1898
1918 Hughie Jennings 1891
1917 Bobby Wallace 1894
1916 Bobby Wallace 1894
1915 Fred Clarke 1894
1914 Clark Griffith 1891
1913 Jack Ryan 1889
1912 Deacon McGuire 1884
1911 Cy Young 1890
1910 Deacon McGuire 1884
1909 Arlie Latham 1880
1908 Deacon McGuire 1884
1907 Deacon McGuire 1884
1906 Deacon McGuire 1884
1905 Deacon McGuire 1884
1904 Jim O'Rourke 1876
1903 Deacon McGuire 1884
1902 Frank Foreman 1884
1901 Joe Quinn 1884
1900 Jack Clements 1884
1899 Arlie Latham 1880
1898 Bid McPhee 1882
1897 Cap Anson 1876
1896 Cap Anson 1876
1895 Cap Anson 1876
1894 Cap Anson 1876

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